Thursday 3 August 2017

Here is some more information uncovered as part of the investigation into the tragedy.

Tests on the type of system used to clad Grenfell have looked at how fire spread quickly across the panels.

This was the first round of results from government new tests to look at whole systems, previous tests examined only samples of materials.

The test involved starting a fire at the base of a model wall with the same cladding system as Grenfell. The wall was constructed as if spanning four storeys of a tower block. Within two minutes of the fire being lit, it had spread to the second ‘storey’.

Please check your own landlords website for more advice NOW when it comes to fire safety and how/when to escape in the event of fire.

Also check out some great advice being supplied by landlords and the fire service websites on fire prevention and initial actions

Meanwhile in other reports about funding the replacement of cladding:

Councils have hit out over Sajid Javid’s insistence that upgrade work to make buildings fire safe must be met through stretched local government budgets

……….and a new interim CEO has been appointed to manage ….

Elaine Elkington took over as the head of Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) yesterday

Mr Black, the CEO has stepped aside to “concentrate on assisting with the investigation and inquiry” into the fire at Grenfell Tower, which killed at least 80 people after tearing through the block in June.

Ms Elkington was director of housing at Birmingham Council, where she worked for 10 years until February 2013. She has also been director of housing and regeneration at Hammersmith and Fulham Council, and is a governing board member of the Chartered Institute of Housing.

….and the press are speculating about manslaughter charges:

National newspapers are reporting on the letter sent by the Metropolitan Police to survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire informing them that there are “reasonable grounds” to suspect that the council and the tenant management organisation committed corporate manslaughter.

The police have mentioned the possibility of manslaughter charges before, but this is the first time they have name potential defendants.